Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahflo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Fidahflo’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; early and freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with red purple and white bi-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia variabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDAHFLO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidahflo’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pot-type Dahlia plants that have a freely branching and flowering habit, attractive ray floret coloration and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Hillegom, The Netherlands of an unnamed selection of Dahlia variabilis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia variabilis as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands since 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidahflo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidahflo’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Large inflorescences with red purple and white bi-colored ray         florets.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in ray floret coloration and plant shape.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Lisa Dark Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,780. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘Lisa Dark Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Dahlia had fewer ray         florets than inflorescences of plants of ‘Lisa Dark Pink’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Lisa Dark Pink’ differed in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Lisa Dark Pink’ had dark pink-colored         ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidahflo’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were nine weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Fidahflo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Dahlia             variabilis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             variabilis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at             temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 12 days             at temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; tuber development has not             been observed.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly             spreading and mounding plant form; broad inverted triangle;             three primary lateral branches develop, each primary lateral             branch with numerous secondary branches; inflorescences held             above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; bushy and dense             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 24 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm to 2.5 cm. Aspect: Erect to             somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be simple or             compound with three or five leaflets; measurements are for             simple leaves.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate to dentate.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent;             slightly rough.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to N137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and             fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B;             venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 138B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Rotate semi-double inflorescence             form with ray florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; inflorescences face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit, about 20 inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from spring             through the autumn in The Netherlands; early flowering             habit, plants begin flowering about six to seven weeks after             planting.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Globular, flattened. Color: Close to N144B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle height:             About 5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 16 to 17             arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width:             About 1.8 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Initially upright to             eventually roughly perpendicular to the peduncle; ray             florets cupped. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Towards the apex and margins, close to N155B;             towards the center, close to N155B tinted with close to 71B;             center and towards the base, close to 71A to 71B; at the             base, close to 35A and 44A. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to N155D flushed with close to 71D; at             the base, close to 5C.         -   Disc florets.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Tubular, elongated; apices obtuse. Number of disc             florets per inflorescence: About 42. Color, when opening:             Apex and mid-section: Close to 17A. Base: Close to 145C.             Color, fully opened: Apex and mid-section: Close to 17A.             Base: Close to 144C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About six to eight             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:             About 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 137C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:             Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per floret: About             two. Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to             5B. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium: Not observed.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia tolerate high     temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. 

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Fidahflo’ as illustrated and described. 